This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 620

Thump, thump, my heart raced faster than usual.

Was that perhaps the issue at hand?

My hand moved towards the doorknob, shaking uncontrollably.

If I were to pick out one surprising thing in all this, it would be the absence of any tremor in Chae-rim’s voice when she responded to me.

It wasn’t shaky like someone caught in a lie; rather, it felt… dry.

So I couldn’t discern what lay beneath.

That dry voice echoed in as I stepped into the room.

From behind, I could feel a gaze loaded with confusion, wondering if the two had fought while I was away… but I ignored it.

What I needed to focus on right now was not what was behind me, but what lay ahead.

Forcing myself to avoid the stare coming from behind, I opened the door and stepped into the room where Chae-rim waited.

Thud—

At that moment, as the door I had opened with my own hands closed once more, I instinctively realized.

Among the many things filling my heart at this moment, the ‘worst’ had crept right up to my eyes.

What instilled that certainty in me?

None other than Chae-rim.

More precisely, it was Chae-rim’s expression that made it so.

Though she seemed to hide her expression as best as she could, it was still painfully evident that she was tense, even in her gaze.

Having witnessed that, I could no longer pretend to deny the situation.

Yes, given how things had unfolded, I had to acknowledge the truth.

Whether I liked it or not, it had to be done.

If my denial could change something, or at least create even a tiny possibility for that change, then I would undoubtedly choose to grit my teeth and endure till the end. But regrettably, reality is not that simple.

No matter how much I tried to deny it, nothing would really change.

Rather than the situation shifting… it would only escalate into a harsher reality if I didn’t face it.

Yet despite Chae-rim’s seemingly cold eyes, I refused to shrink back; instead, I straightened my back with newfound resolve.

After all, if nothing would change, then what I had to do from this moment onward was clear.

Face whatever situation came my way with my best effort.

Yes, that was the only option.

So with all the determination I could muster, I met Chae-rim’s fixed gaze that had been aimed at me since earlier.

Perhaps it was somewhat unexpected for her that I was holding my ground like this.

After all, though the circumstances weren’t identical, in similar situations before, I had always folded in front of Chae-rim.

Indeed, I had always been that way; hence, it was only natural for this stiff demeanor of mine to seem strange to her.

Ironically, she could have displayed embarrassment for that very fact, yet Chae-rim remained true to herself.

Even when faced with a situation that would fluster any ordinary person up close and personal, she displayed no signs of panic, not even a flinch.

“So? What’s suddenly going on?”

Even her voice was that way.

It was as solid as a rock, devoid of even a single crack.

The moment I stepped into the room, I was confronted with all of this, but I didn’t mind.

Just because I was steady now didn’t guarantee I wouldn’t waver in the future.

Locking eyes with Chae-rim, whose gaze seemed to challenge me to speak if I had something to say, I slowly opened my mouth to affirm that fact.

“Yoonseo.”

At the moment I uttered Yoonseo’s name, I witnessed Chae-rim’s shoulder twitch for the very first time throughout our conversation, which had been marked by indifference.

Though it was just a fleeting reaction… it was all the more noticeable for that.

Thanks to that tiny crack, I immediately continued.

“Where is she now?”

This time, I saw her eyebrows furrow instead of her shoulders.

“You’re asking where Yoonseo is?”

“Yes.”

“If you’re curious about that, you should be contacting Yoonseo, not asking me.”

Why are you asking me?

Chae-rim was clearly saying that.

The slightly irritated tone was just an added bonus.

Any ordinary person would have likely taken a step back as soon as they sensed Chae-rim’s voice tinged with annoyance.

The pressure of her title as both the strongest hero in Korea and the vice-chairman of the Korean Hero Association was formidable.

To endure it required courage that most wouldn’t possess.

But I wasn’t most people.

I was confident I knew Chae-rim well enough; I could see everything.

I could see her cornered in real-time.

I didn’t know what others thought, but I could clearly see it…

And so in the face of Chae-rim’s irritable response, instead of hesitating, I felt emboldened to push forward.

“Sister.”

I had so much I wanted to say.

Starting from why she helped Yoonseo while knowing it could risk their lives, there were countless questions swirling in my mind, but… I opted to rein in my words.

I instinctively realized that taking the time to recite my thoughts like some sort of mantra would be far more efficient and effective.

And that instinct turned out to be painfully accurate.

As soon as I uttered that curt phrase, Chae-rim, who had maintained her aloof demeanor until then, suddenly seemed as if she was about to issue an unspoken command for me to leave.

“Let’s stop lying, shall we?”

As if to drive the point home, I delivered a final blow, and Chae-rim’s lips, locked tight, showed no sign of parting.

That was the first time I observed the phenomenon of ‘cracking’ in Chae-rim’s otherwise steadfast expression during our conversation.

Given how far things had progressed, she had to have realized that continuing to speak in denial would only tarnish her own image.

Just like a sandcastle built on the shore, her expression began to crumble.

I couldn’t bear to look directly at it.